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Humanities (Years 7-9)

Through Humanities students should develop knowledge, skills, attitudes and values which enable them to participate as active and informed citizens in a democratic society and within a global community.

At Townsville Grammar School, Humanities is studied as History and Geography, with Civics being embedded in both disciplines. The teaching, learning, assessing and reporting of History and Geography is based on the Australian Curriculum. The study of History will require students to engage with a variety of historical sources, whilst Geography exposes them to range of spatial stimuli, including different types of maps and graphs. Investigation of topics will be through the inquiry approach.

Topics

Year 7 - History

60 000 BC (BCE) – c.650 AD (CE): History from the time of the earliest human communities to the end of the ancient period.

Key inquiry questions:

How do we know about the ancient past?

Why and where did the earliest societies develop?

What emerged as the defining characteristics of ancient societies?

What have been the legacies of ancient societies?

Topics covered:

The Ancient Past: Uncovering the mysteries of archaeology

Ancient Greece: Role of physical environment, characteristics and legacy

Ancient China: Role of physical environment, characteristics and legacy

Year 7 - Geography

Key inquiry questions:

How do people’s reliance on places and environments influence their perception of them?

What effect does the uneven distribution of resources and services have on the lives of people?

What approaches can be used to improve the availability of resources and access to services?

Topics covered:

Water in the World: The uses and scarcity of water, as well as how it connects places.

Place and Liveability: What makes a place liveable? (Perceptions and realities)

Year 8 - History

History from the end of the ancient period to the beginning of the modern period.

Key inquiry questions:

How did societies change from the end of the ancient period to the beginning of the modern age?

What key beliefs and values emerged and how did they influence societies?

What were the causes and effects of contact between societies in this period?

Which significant people, groups and ideas from this period have influenced the world today?

Topics covered:

A World in Change: Why the ‘Dark Ages’? The implications of the fall of the Roman Empire for European civilization.

Shogun Japan: ‘The Last Samurai’ - Why the shogunate era ended and how this changed Japanese society?

Medieval Europe & the Black Death: Continuity and change in response to events and developments. E.g. castle design, armour and weaponry, the Crusades, the Black Death.

Geography

Key inquiry questions:

How do environmental and human processes affect the characteristics of places and environments?

How do the interconnections between places, people and environments affect the lives of people?

What are the consequences of changes to places and environments and how can these changes be managed?

Topics covered:

Landscapes and Landforms: Mountain landscapes will be the focus for investigations associated with processes, cultural values, hazards and management.

Changing Nations: The changing human geography of countries as a result of urbanisation, the rise and rise of urban settlements - mega-cities and how to build more sustainable urban environments.

Year 9 - History (1750 - 1918)

History of the making of the modern world.

Key inquiry questions:

What were the changing features of the movements of people from 1750 to 1918?

How did new ideas and technological developments contribute to change in this period?

What were the origin, development, significance and long-term impact of imperialism in this period?

Making a Nation: How egalitarianism (indigenous resistance, racial conflict, the Eureka Stockade, the Selection Acts and trade unionism) and movements towards nationhood (federation) during the colonial period shaped Australia.

World War I: Australia’s war time experiences abroad (Gallipoli, Western Front and Beersheba) and at home (conscription debate and the creation of the Anzac Legend).

Geography

Key inquiry questions:

What are the causes and consequences of change in places and environments and how can this change be managed?

What are the future implications of changes to places and environments?

Why are interconnections and interdependencies important for the future of places and environments?

Topics covered:

Biomes and Food Security: The biomes (namely grasslands, forests and wetlands) of the world, their alteration and significance as a source of food and fibre, and the environmental challenges and constraints on expanding food production in the future.

Geographies of Interconnections: The implications for people and places as a result of an increasingly globalised world - multinational corporations, telecommunications, international trade and global tourist movements.